Operating mechanism for cover-plates.



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Patented May 8, 1917.

L. A. RANSEHOUSEN.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR COVER PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. 1916.

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OPERATING MECHANISM FOR COVER PLATES. I

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LYMAN A. RANSEHOUSEN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR COVER-PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1917.

Application filed. March 6, 1916. Serial No. 82,440.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN A. Ranso- HOUSEN, a citizen of the United States 01 America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Cover-Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to operating and locking mechanism for cover plates.

While the invention is applicable generally to all cover places, it is particularly designed for and may be advantageously used with cover plates for manholes, coal holes, underground refuse containers, and the like. The ordinary manhole cover may be pried open by anyone whether or not they are authorized to do so. Moreover, such covers may be entirely removed from connection with the manhole rim and left so removed. Furthermore, frequently when such covers are warped or not properly seated in the manhole rim, they are frequently dislodged by the passage of vehicular traflic. In many instances, covers of the type described are undesirable if not positively detrimental on account of the disadvantages above enumer ated, and this invention is concerned with mechanism applicable to a cover and its rim, whereby the undesirable qualities of the ordinary cover are eliminated. v i

An object ofthis invention is to provide, in combination with an annular ring and a cover adapted to fit flush in said ring, mechanism whereby the cover may be first raised out of the ring and thereafte rotated to eX- pose the opening in the ring.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a rim having an opening therein and a cover adapted to it into the rim to close said mpening, a device whereby the cover is positively locked in its rim together with key operated mechanism to release said device, lift the cover from its rim and thereafter rotate the cover.

Another object of the. invention is to provide cover operating mechanism oi the class described, operable by a key and constructed and arranged so that the latter cannot be removed from the mechanism except when the cover is properly seated in and locked to the rim.

Another object of the invention is to provide in Frey operable mechanism for moving cover froi'n its rim, means whereby the lar ring.

cover may not only be lowered but positively forced into its seat.

Other objects and advantages will in the detailed description to follow the annexed claims. For the purpose of illustrating one way in which the invention may be practised, a preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view ofa cover plate showing the improved mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2 2of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the operating mechanism for the cover plate;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4c and looking in the direction of the arrows; 7 Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are sectional plan views taken on the lines 66, 77., and S8, respectively, of Fig. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional elevations talren on the lines 99 and 10l0, respectively, of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the key for the operating mechanism;

Fig. 12 is an elevational view showing a modification of the key structure; and

Fig. 13 is an isometric view of a partof the lifting mechanism.

lVhile the invention is capable of general application to cover plates, it will be described for the purposes of illustration in only one of its specific uses. A. vertically arranged pipe 1 (Fig. 2) is sunk into the ground and an annular ring 2 is seated on the top of pipe 1 so that its upper surface lies flush with the ground line 3. Ring 2 is formed with'an annular seat 4c to receive a cover 5 which lies flush with the ring and closes the opening (3 in the pipe and ring. The precise structure of the elements so far described is immaterial as the invention is concerned simply with means to lock, lift, and turn a cover, which fits flush in an annuappear Secured to ring 2, as shown in Figs. 1, i, and 5 1s a housing 7 which is of general cyand in lindrical form and is so arranged that its upper face lies flush with cover 5. Secured to the underside of cover 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is an arm 8 which extends through slots 9 and 10 in ring 2 and housing 7, respectively, and is formed with a depending sleeve 11 adapted to fit within the housing 7 to form a pivot for the cover. The upper face of housing 7 and the portion of arm 8 intersecting therewith are formed with a circular recess 12 and a circular upstanding ring 13. Pivoted at 14 to ears on housing 7, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is a circular cover 15 which fits within the recess 12 and over ring 13 so that its upper surface lies flush with the cover 5. A spring 16 coiled around pivot 14 is secured at one end to housing 7 and its other end is arranged to bear upon the upper face of cover 15 to hold the latter in closed position, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Arm 8 is cut away, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive cover and the portion of the arm passing through slots 9 and is arranged to lie flush with cover 5. Thus, when the parts are positioned, as shown in Fig. 2, the ring 2, cover 5, housing 7, arm 8, and cover all lie flush with the ground line 3.

In Figs. 4, 5, 9, and 10, the cover 16 has been shown removed in order to more clearly disclose the operating devices therebelow which will now be described with particular reference to Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive. Secured to the lower face of housing 7'and closing the bottom thereof is a plate 17 which is shown in detail in Fig. 13. Integral with the plate 17 is a shouldered down portion 18 which is adapted to fit within housing 7, as shown in Figs. 5, 9, and 10. This portion 18 is formed with a cam surface 19 which starts at the base of plate 17 and extends gradually upward to the top of portion 18. Surface 19 extends through an arc of ninety degrees and terminates in a flat surface 20 which extends through an arc of substantially one hundred and eighty degrees. Beneath surface 20 and diametri cally opposite surface 19, the portion 18 is undercut to form a cam surface 21 similar to the surface 19. Within the sleeve 11 is a sleeve 22 which has a lower enlarged portion 23 of a diameter equal to the portion 18, just described and is adapted to support sleeve 11 on a flange 24. The portion 23 is formed similarly to the portion 18, already described, and is adapted to mate therewith as shown in Figs. 5, 9, and 10'. It will thus be seen that member 23 has a wing portion to underlie and engage the surface 21, as best shown at 25 in Fig. 5. When sleeve 22 is turned by means to be described in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed inFig. 4, its cam surface will ride up on surface 19 and wing 25 will be drawn out from under surface 21 until at the end of a turning .g movement through a ninety degree arc, the base of member 23 will rest upon the surface 20. Thus, the sleeve 22 may be lifted vertically a distance equal to the height of the portion 18 and will carry with it the sleeve 11 and thus arm 8 and cover 5. This lifting movement is sufiicient to raise arm 8 from slots 9 and 10 and cover 5 from its seat in ring 2 so that the cover may be swung on sleeve 11 as a pivot, the sleeve being held in lifted position by surface 20.

The sleeve 22 has a central bore 27 extending entirely therethrough and a diametrical slot 28 which extends downwardly a substantial distance, as shown in Figs. 5, 9, and 10. The bore 27 and the slot 28 are adapted to receive a shank 29 and bit 30, respectively, of an operating key 31, shown in Fig. 11. The bit 30, when key 31 is positioned in sleeve 22, as'described, is adapted to project beyond sleeve 22 on one side and enter a vertical slot 32 in sleeve 11 (Figs. 4 and 10). At the base of slot 32 in sleeve 11 is a horizontal slot 33 (Figs. 5 and 7) which extends substantially through an arc of ninety degrees and at the end of slot 33 is a short downwardly extending vertical slot 34 (Figs. 5 and 7). Thus, bit may be pushed downwardly into registering slots 28 and 32 until it abuts on the lower surface of slot 33. Thereafter, the bit may be turned through an angle of ninety degrees without turning sleeve 11 (since bit 30 will ride freely in slot 33) to lift the sleeve 22 by action of the cams on plate 17. At the end of this rotative movement, the bit 30 drops into slot 34 and locks the sleeves 11 and 22 together and slot 28 is deep enough to permit this additional drop of bit 30, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fixed in sleeve 11 is a stud 35 (Figs. 4, 6, and 9) which, when cover 5 is seated in ring 2, rests in a vertical slot 36 (Fig. 9) in housing 7. Slot 36 extends to the top of the housing for a reason later to'appear and, at a distance from stud 35 equal to the lift ofcani 19, is intersected by a horizontal slot 37 formed in the inner periphery of housing 7 (Figs. 6 and 9). Thus, as sleeves 11 and 22 are turned and lifted as described stud 35 rides upwardly in slot 36 until it reaches a position at the entrance of slot 37 at the end of the lifting movement. Thereafter, as key 31 is turned, bit 30 resting in notch 34 will rotate the sleeve 11 and thus arm 8 and cover 5 through the angle permitted by slot 37, which is substantially one hundred and eighty degrees.

Fixed in sleeve 22 is a stud 38 which extends into a horizontal slot 39 in sleeve 11 (Figs. 8 and 10) and slot 39 extends through an arc of substantially ninety degrees so that sleeve 22 may be turned relatively to sleeve 11 to efiect the lifting movement above described. At the terminus ofslot 39 is a vertical slot l which extends downwardly to the bottom of sleeve 11, as shown in Fig. 5. It is to be noted that with the parts positioned as shown the engagement of stud 38 in slot 39 prevents sleeve 11- from being lifted vertically out of the housing 7 and thus cover out of its seat in rim 2 for although wing is looked under cam 21, stud 35 is positioned in the vertical slot 36 so that were it not for stud 38, sleeve 11 could be moved vertically.

In Fig. 12, a modified form of key is shown at 41. The bit is provided at the base of shank 29 as heretofore described but instead of the handle shown in Fig, 11, a ring 42 is provided which is somewhat larger in diameter than cover 5. Ring 42 extends entirely on one side of shank 29 and is diametrically opposed to the long arm of bit 30. The key is applied as already described, using ring 412 as a handle, but, when cover 5 has been swung through an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees to open position, ring 42 is positioned concentrically with relation to opening 6 and above rim 2 to form a guard for the opening.

In operation bit 30 of key 31 or 41 is inserted into the registering slots 28 and 32 and pushed down until it abuts on slot 33. A quarter turn in a counterclockwise direction is then given to the key which rotates sleeve 22 relatively to sleeve 11 and cam 19 and raises the sleeves 11 and 22 as described. Cover 5 is thus raised from its seat in rim 2 and is free to turn. Bit 30 then drops into slot 3a and as the key is given a half turn in the same direction, sleeves 11 and 22 are turned together to swing cover 5 relatively to the housing 7, and completely uncover opening 6. The abutment of stud with the end of slot 37 limits this turning movement. To again cover the opening 6, the key is given a half turn in a clockwise direction and, since bit 30 lies in the slot 34, the sleeves 11 and 22 may be turned until stud 35 abuts the end of slot 37 and lies over vertical slot 36. Cover 5 is then positioned above but in concentrical relation with its seat in rim 2. In order to lower cover 5 shank 29 of the key is pulled upwardly out of slot 34 so as to come opposite slot 33, and thereafter as the bit 30 is turned it will move sleeve 22 only and lower the portion 23 on cam surface 19. It is to be noted particularly that cover 5 is not simply lowered to its seat but is positively forced thereupon for wing 25 is moved in under cam surface 21 and pulls the cover 5 vertically down ward onto its seat on rim 2.

The assembly of the mechanism above described is simple and convenient. Plate 17 i first secured to the base of housing 7 and the latter isthen bolted to rim 2. Thereafter sleeve 22 is slipped into sleevell from below so that slots 28 and 32 are in registration. and key 31 is next inserted so that bit 30 lies in these slots. The bit 30 is then turned ninety degrees in a counterclockwise direction relatively to sleeve 11 until bit 30 drops into slot 34. Then, the sleeves 11 and 22 may be inserted together in housing 7 so that stud 35 rides in vertical slot 36. Nith the parts positioned as described, stud 38 lies in the path of slot 4 0 in sleeve 11 so that nothing interferes with the free insertion of the sleeves into the housing. Bit 30 isthen turned ninety degrees in a clockwise direction which moves wing 25 under cam 21 and forces the parts downwardly into the position shown in the drawings.

Obviously the mechanism may be taken apart in just the reverse manner, and the parts have been so constructed and arranged that, when the bit 30 has been inserted in slots 28 and 32 and given the preliminary quarter turn, the sleeves 11 and 22 may be lifted from out the housing 7 as it is generally desirable to so arrange the parts for removal by authorized persons at some position, such as described.

It is to be noted that with the parts positioned as shown, the cover 5 is absolutely locked to its seat in rim '2. It cannot flop out as may happen with ordinary manhole covers which, when slightly warped, are frequently displaced by vehicles passing thereover. The cover 5 cannot be pried open or otherwise opened except by author ized persons with a k y. Furthermore, the cover 5 cannot be left in open position or even positioned above the rim in concentrical relation therewith, for at all times except when cover 5 is seated properly in its rim the key 31 cannot be extracted. Moreover, in replacing cover 5 upon the rim, the cover is positively forced into place in its seat and, should dirt or the like be present on the seat 4:, the cover cannot be closed nor the key extracted until the seat t has been cleaned. Thus, the operator cannot be heedless but is forced to be careful for he cannot remove his key until the cover is properly seated and locked.

The invention has been described for illusrative purposes in one of its specific uses. The scope of the invention, however, is particularly pointed out in the appenden claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a rim having an opening of a cover adapted to fit flush in said rim and close said opening, key operable means to raise said cover from its rim, and a key operable device to thereafter rotate said cover.

2. An operating device for manhole covers and the like, comprising, a member adapted to be secured to the rim of the cover, a part within said member having an arm extending without the latter adapted to be secured to said cover, means operable by a key from without said member to raise the cover from its rim, and a device operable by further movement of the key to swing the cover on said member as a pivot.

3. The combination with a rim having an opening, of a cover adapted to fit flush in said rim to close said opening, means normally locking the cover to said rim and key operated devices to release said means, and move the cover to expose said opening.

4. The combination with a rim having an opening of a cover normally fitting flush in said rim to close said opening, means normally locking said cover to said rim, key operable devices to release said means and raise said cover from the rim, and means operable by further movement of the key to swing the cover away from the rim to expose said opening.

5. The combination with a frame having an opening, of a cover adapted to fit flush into the frame to close said opening, means arranged to normally look said cover in the frame, key operable devices to release said means and raise the cover from said frame, and another key operable device to swing said cover away from the frame to expose the opening, said means including mechanism to positively force said cover into the frame as said devices are returned to normal position.

6. An operating device for manhole covers and the like, comprising, a housing adapted to be secured to the frame of the manhole, a member in said housing having a part adapted to be secured to the cover of the manhole, said memberand housing ar ranged to form a pivotal connection for the cover, means normally holding said cover to said frame, and key operable devices arranged to raise the cover from its frame and to thereafter turn the same on said pivotal connection.

7 An operating device for manhole covers and the like comprising, a housing adapted to be secured to the frame of the manhole, a member in said housing having a part adapted to be secured to the cover of the manhole, said member and housing arranged to form a pivotal connection for the cover, means normally holding said cover to said frame, and key operable devices arranged to raise the cover from its frame and I to thereafter turn the same on said pivotal connection, said means including mechanism to positively force the cover into said frame as said devices are returned to normal position. i

8. The combination with a frame having an opening, of a cover adapted to fit flush in said frame to close said opening, a housing on said frame, an arm on said cover having a sleeve to enter said housing, whereby a pivotal connection for the cover is formed,

and means within the housing operable by a key from without the housing to lift said sleeve to raise said cover, said sleeve having a part engageable by further movement of the key to swing the cover on its pivot to expose said opening. f

9. The combination with a frame having an opening, of a cover adapted to fit flush in said frame to close said opening, a member fixed to said frame, an arm fixed to said cover having a sleeve arranged to fit in said member, whereby a pivot for said cover is formed, a spindle within said sleeve arranged to support the latter, a cam on said spindle, a cam on the housing engageable with said first-named cam, and means operable by a key from without the housing to turn said spindle relatively to said sleeve, whereby said cams may be moved relatively one to the other to raise said sleeve, said sleeve having-a part engageable by further movement of said key to rotate the sleeve, and spindle together to swing said cover on its pivot to expose said opening.

10. The combination with a frame having an opening, of a cover adapted to fit flush in said frame to close said opening, a member fixed to said frame, an arm fixed to said cover having a sleeve arranged to fit in said member, whereby a pivot for said coveris formed, a spindle within said sleeve arranged to support the latter, a cam on said spindle, a cam on the housing engageable with said first-named cam, a second cam on said housing, a cam wing on said spindle underlying said second cam, whereby the spindle is locked to said housing against vertical movement, means normally locking the sleeve to said spindle, and means operable by a key from without the housing to turn said spindle relatively to said sleeve to actuate said cams, whereby said wing is released from the second cam and said first-named cams may be moved to lift said sleeve, said sleeve having a part engageable by further movement of the key to turn said sleeve and spindle together to swing said cover on its pivot to expose said opening, and means formed in said sleeve engageable by said key to lock the sleeve and spindle together to preserve their relative positions during the swinging movement of said cover.

11. The combination with a frame having an opening, of a cover adapted to fit flush in said frame to close said opening, a member fixed to said frame,an arm fixed to-said cover having a sleeve arranged to fit in said member, whereby a pivot for said cover is formed, a spindle within said; sleeve arranged to support the latter, a cam on said spindle, a cam on the housing engageable with said first-named cam, a second cam'on said housing, a cam'wing on said spindle underlying said second cam, whereby the spindle is locked to said housing against vertical movement, means normally locking the sleeve to said spindle, and means operable by a key from without the housing to turn said spindle relatively to said sleeve to actuate said cams, whereby said wing is released from the second cam and said firstnamed cams may be moved to lift said sleeve, said sleeve having a part engageable by further movement of the key to turn said sleeve and spindle together to swing said cover on its pivot to expose said opening.

12. The combination with a frame having an opening, of a cover adapted to fit flush in said frame to close said opening, a member fixed to said frame, an arm fixed to said cover having a sleeve arranged to fit in said member, whereby a pivot for said cover is formed, a spindle within said sleeve arranged to support the latter, a cam on said spindle, a cam on the housing engageable with said first-named cam, a second cam on said housing, a cam wing on said spindle underlying said second cam, whereby the spindle is locked to said housing against vertical movement, means normally locking the sleeve to said spindle, and means operable by a key from without the housing to turn said spindle relatively to said sleeve to actuate said cams, whereby said wing is released from the second cam and said firstnamed cams may be moved to lift said sleeve, said sleeve having a part engageable by further movement of the key to turn said sleeve and spindle together to swing said cover on its pivot to expose said opening, and means formed in said sleeve engageable by said key to lock the sleeve and spindle together to preserve their relative positions during the swinging movement of said cover, said wing adapted when the cover is swung back over the frame to positively force the cover into the frame and thereafter hold the cover locked to the frame.

LYMAN A. RANSEHOUSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

